In the past six months, the Dayton Dutch Lions of the USL-Pro league and Toronto F.C. of MLS have become well-acquianted with one another. In fact, it could be said that Toronto F.C. may be enamored with the Dutch style.. And even that this fascination started with meeting the Dutch Lion owners, Dutch Lion Head Coach Sonny Silooy, and watching the Dutch Lions in July and culminated in signing a Head Coach/Technical Director in Aron Winter today who is not much different at all from Dutch Lions former Head Coach Sonny Silooy.

In the footie book The Rough Guide to Cult Football there contains different sections on the pecularities and legendary figures of the world's game. Well, one player that actually played against the Dayton Dutch Lions was included in this new book underneath The Legends section. That was German goalkeeper Lutz Pfannenstiel. Last April, The 37 year old Pfannenstiel took time off from his new Nambian club- Ramblers FC (yes, I said Nambian club) to play against the Dayton Dutch Lions.

That's according to MLS-Rumors, as they first stated on Friday that Toronto F.C. was not only interested in Ent but the Dutch Lions whole right side from the 2010 season; both Ent and overlapping Dutch Lions right back Evan Schwartz.

The Dayton Dutch Lions already have one sister club in Dutch champions F.C. Twente. The Dutch Lions might be going for the partnership treble this offseason... Yesterday the Dutch Lions announced a partnership with a very successful PDL club- the Baton Rouge Capitals. The Baton Rouge Capitals were founded in 2007, and have a strong English influence- with nearly all of their international spots taken up by English players similiar to how the Dutch Lions keep most of their international spots open for Dutch players.

One of the featured players by Radio Netherlands was Regillio Seedorf, newphew of famous Dutch, A.C. Milan player Clarence Seedorf. The 21 year old Regillio hasn't had as remarkable of a career as his cousin yet, with only stops in the Second Division of Belgium and the Netherlands. But, with a nice goal strike at the end of this video, who knows his career might take off stateside starting with the Dayton Dutch Lions

Dayton Dutch Lions player Bas Ent played 45 minutes for TFC in the second half of their match against the English Premier League Bolton Wanderers. Bas didn't get an abundant ammount of touches in the match, but when he had touches Ent created solid opportunities. As Ent had two solid crosses, one a screaming bullet across the Bolton box that found the path of O'Brien White but White whiffed; When White whiffed the ball found the path of TFC Academy player Nicolas Lindsay who couldn't put enough power on the ball to beat Bolton keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen. The Ent cross was one of TFC's best opportunities of the game.

Along with the crosses, Bas had his own opportunity to go one-on-one against Jasskelainen but the refereee incorrectly called Ent offsides. Nevertheless, Bas Ent impressed TFC staff and fans alike.

"Ent looked very good in the second half as did Mirko Medic who played up front and was also trialing."

"Ent was unlucky to not have earned an assist when OB somehow fluffed that ball four yard in front of goal. I've no idea how that one went through his legs but such is life."

"Agreed on Ent. I thought he was one of the best players on the pitch in the second half. After watching TFC struggle out wide for 4 years now, I'm thinking this is the kind of player we need."

Bas impressed Preki and Mo Johnston so much that they invited Ent to stay on an extra day for practice on Thursday, when the initial trial was supposed to only last up to last night's game. TFC reportedly also has an interest in bringing Bas back into the fold after the Dayton Dutch Lions last game this Saturday against the Chicago Fire of the PDL.

Dayton Dutch Lions winger Bas Ent is expected to get a run out with TFC this evening against Bolton Wanderers of the EPL. Bas is likely to play 45-60 minutes in the friendly as part of a trial that started Monday with Toronto FC. Ent will be back for the Dutch Lions for their regular season finale against the Chicago Fire (PDL) on Saturday in Chicago.

Ajax Under-10's practice in their academy setting. Dutch Lions have a similiar vision for their academy in coordination with Dutch champs F.C. Twente. Read the following quotes for a better idea of the differences between the Dutch philosophy and academy setting compared to the American development of soccer players; and to envision what the Dutch Lions are attempting to create in Dayton.

In the U.S., we think of money as corrupting sport, especially youth sport. At Ajax, it is clarifying. With the stakes so high — so much invested and the potential for so much in return — De Toekomst (The Future) is a laboratory for turning young boys into high-impact performers in the world’s most popular game.

On play in the academies there:

Through age 12, they train only three times a week and play one game on the weekend. “For the young ones, we think that’s enough,” Riekerink said when we talked in his office one day. “They have a private life, a family life. We don’t want to take that from them. When they are not with us, they play on the streets. They play with their friends. Sometimes that’s more important. They have the ball at their feet without anyone telling them what to do.”

By age 15, the boys are practicing five times a week. In all age groups, training largely consists of small-sided games and drills in which players line up in various configurations, move quickly and kick the ball very hard to each other at close range. In many practice settings in the U.S., this kind of activity would be a warm-up, just to get loose, with the coach paying scant attention and maybe talking on a cellphone or chatting with parents. At the Ajax academy, these exercises — designed to maximize touches, or contact with the ball — are the main event. “You see this a lot of places,” a coach from a pro club in Norway, who was observing at Ajax, said to me. “Every program wants to maximize touches. But here it is no-nonsense, and everything is done very hard and fast. It’s the Dutch style. To the point and aggressive."

Dutch way of looking at soccer:

“Brilliant Orange: The Neurotic Genius of Dutch Soccer,” calls the Dutch approach “physical chess,” and the Dutch can be quite haughty about it. They abhor the cloying defensive tactics associated with the Italians and the boot-and-chase way the English played for years, and it has been observed that they sometimes appear more intensely interested in the artfulness of a match than in the result.

Dutch playing philosophy from former great and Dutch footballing philsopher-king Johan Cruyff:

“Don’t run so much,” he once said, meaning that players often cover lots of ground but to no effect. “You have to be in the right place at the right moment, not too early, not too late.”

Type of player and this play is adopted around the world:

Other nations and professional clubs around the world play in a manner similar to the Dutch — including, not coincidentally, Barcelona, one of the most consistently successful clubs in Europe, and where Cruyff played after leaving Ajax and then coached for eight seasons. What this type of play demands is the highest order of individual skill: players with a wizardlike ability to control the ball with either foot, any part of the foot, and work it toward the goal through cramped spaces and barely perceptible lanes.

The main difference on how U.S. players are developed compared to players in the Netherlands:

How the U.S. develops its most promising young players is not just different from what the Netherlands and most elite soccer nations do — on fundamental levels, it is diametrically opposed.

Americans like to put together teams, even at the Pee Wee level, that are meant to win. The best soccer-playing nations build individual players, ones with superior technical skills who later come together on teams the U.S. struggles to beat. In a way, it is a reversal of type. Americans tend to think of Europeans as collectivists and themselves as individualists. But in sports, it is the opposite. The Europeans build up the assets of individual players. Americans underdevelop the individual, although most of the volunteers who coach at the youngest level would not be cognizant of that.

The American approach is the more democratic view of sport. The aspirations of each member of the team are equally valid. Elsewhere, there is more comfort with singling out players for attention and individualized instruction, even at the expense of the group. David Endt, a former Ajax player and a longtime executive of the club, told me, “Here, we would rather polish one or two jewels than win games at the youth levels.”

Americans place a higher value on competition than on practice, so the balance between games and practice in the U.S. is skewed when compared with the rest of the world. It’s not unusual for a teenager in the U.S. to play 100 or more games in a season, for two or three different teams, leaving little time for training and little energy for it in the infrequent moments it occurs. A result is that the development of our best players is stunted. They tend to be fast and passionate but underskilled and lacking in savvy compared with players elsewhere. “As soon as a kid here starts playing, he’s got referees on the field and parents watching in lawn chairs,” John Hackworth, the former coach of the U.S. under-17 national team and now the youth-development coordinator for the Philadelphia franchise in Major League Soccer, told me. “As he gets older, the game count just keeps increasing. It’s counterproductive to learning and the No. 1 worst thing we do.”

College Soccer Is Often Times The Wrong Way To Develop Players

The U.S. diverges all the way to the last stages of a player’s development. In other places around the world, the late teenage years are a kind of finishing school, a period when elite players grow into their bodies, sharpen their technical ability and gain a more sophisticated understanding of game tactics. At the same time, they are engaged in a fierce competition to rise through the ranks of their clubs and reach the first team (the equivalent of being promoted from a minor-league baseball team to the big-league club).

An elite American player of that age is still likely to be playing in college, which the rest of the soccer-playing world finds bizarre. He plays a short competitive season of three or four months. If he possesses anything approaching international-level talent, he probably has no peer on his team and rarely one on an opposing squad. He may not realize it at the time, but the game, in essence, is too easy for him.

Of the 23 players chosen for the U.S. team going to the World Cup, 15 of them played at least some college soccer. Among the 8 who went straight into the professional ranks are several of the team’s most accomplished performers, including Landon Donovan, DaMarcus Beasley and Tim Howard, and promising players like Jozy Altidore and Michael Bradley (son of the head coach, Bob Bradley). Did they rise to the top of the American talent pool because they bypassed college? Or did they skip it because they were the rare Americans good enough as teenagers to attract legitimate professional opportunities? The answer is probably a little bit of both. But you will find no one in the soccer world who says they would have enhanced their careers by staying in school

Improvements Are Always Achievable, Nothing Should Be Left Alone Or Ignored

Ruben Jongkind, a consultant who mainly works with Dutch track athletes, was altering the posture and gait of a 15-year-old recently acquired from another Dutch club. Jongkind told me that while the boy was actually quite fast, he did not have enough range of motion in his vertical plane. “He was running like a duck, shuffling,” Jongkind said. “That takes more energy, which is why we have to change his motor patterns, so he can be as fast at the end of a game as the beginning.”

Jongkind had been working with this player for several weeks and said he had progressed to “consciously able but not subconsciously able” to run with the desired form, meaning that in the heat of competition, he reverted to his old form. I pointed out that a fast but flawed runner in the United States would likely be left alone. “Everything can be trained,” Jongkind said. “You should always try to make an improvement if it’s possible.”

Some American clubs at the MLS-level have redeveloped at top levels, but haven't done the same at the lower levels:

Efforts to change American soccer culture are largely occurring in the older age groups. Some of the most talented players are being extracted from a deeply flawed system, but only after they’ve been immersed in it for many years.

I was at the youth academy of D.C. United — one worn artificial-turf field, no locker rooms, a world away from De Toekomst — on what turned out to be a moment of triumph for one of the bedrock franchises of Major League Soccer, the top U.S. professional league. Just the day before, the team announced that it signed its best youth player to a pro contract. Andy Najar, who was 17 and immigrated with his parents from Honduras as a teenager, was inserted straight into D.C. United’s starting lineup right after dropping out of high school during his junior year. The signing drew only modest press coverage, probably a good thing for the team and an instance of pro soccer’s still-under-the-radar status in the U.S. being of benefit to the league. (The parade of players graduating from high school and jumping straight to the N.B.A. proved controversial enough that it’s no longer allowed.)

Najar is showing what picking out the best at the top levels can do (has 3 goals already on the season including one this Sunday against the LA Galaxy). Imagine what could happen with kids starting even younger with professional development:

Are American Talents Like This Missed?

As we approached the field where our 5-year-old was to play, he spotted him right away and said, “There’s the guy!”

I couldn’t tell for sure, but it seemed to me that the guy, Délano van der Heyden, born in September 2004, might actually be small even for a 5-year-old. The ball at his feet came up almost to his knees. He was “playing up,” competing against boys as old as 9. When the game started, he was exactly as advertised: remarkable. Délano kept up with the other boys, a few of whom fell on contact and had to be attended by coaches, which he never did. He showed the ability to kick with either foot. He could receive the ball with his back to his offensive end and turn, with the ball still in his control, and head toward the goal.

De Jong kept up a running commentary as we watched, becoming increasingly excited. As Délano cleverly dribbled around a bigger boy who came charging at him: “You see, they will try to physically dominate him, but he will always seek a football solution. He always has a plan.” As the concentration of other boys drifted: “He is not looking at planes in the sky; he is looking at the ball.” At halftime, as Délano conferred with his father, who was coaching his team: “You see how nicely they are talking? You can tell he comes from a good nest.” Later, after Délano weaved through three boys and blistered a shot just wide of the goal: “This is unbelievable! At this age, I’ve never seen a player like this!”

The Dayton Dutch Lions Academy is nearly full with talented youngsters that will learn under the likes of Dayton Dutch Lions Head Coach Sonny Silooy, Dutch Lion players Bas Ent and Ivar van Dinteren, and Twente advisor Rene Hake. Together the Dutch Lions hope to build these youth players into talented young adults who can capture scholarships, MLS & WPS contracts, and possibly even a transfer to a European team.

There are a few openings left in the academy and there are still opportunities for a few youth players to start this adventure with the Dutch Lions. The Dutch Lions are especially interested in U10, U11 and U12 boys and U13 and U14 girls, with only a couple openings left in each. The openings will be filled as the Dutch Lions have had a good ammount of emails inquiring about the spots, DDL F.C. just wants to make sure these spots are filled with the right youth players for our system.

If you think you have what it takes, there is a final training session being organized on July 29th. For those interested email mmossel@dutchlionsfc.com.

A video made with Warner van Hattem, Dayton Dutch Lions Operations Manager for the Netherlands capital group, talking and taking in the World Cup for a video made for Japanese TV. Pretty cool that he is wearing the Dutch Lions gear out and about in South Africa. Now the Dayton Dutch Lions may pick up some fans from Tokyo to Durban:

According to VoetbalPrimeur, 22 year old Dutch Lions midfielder Julius Wille is wanted by his former club, AGOVV Apeldoorn, and may return in August to start prepping for their season. Wille scored 3 goals for the club last year and received a good ammount of minutes for the Apeldoorn club before moving to America with the Dayton Dutch Lions. According to Goal.com, Wille would be a part of a bolstering of the club, along with players Ugur Yildirim and Mike van der Kooy, as AGOVV looks to try to make their move for promotion once again in this upcoming season.

AGOVV, last season, just missed out on promotion to the Eresdivise (First Division), from the Erstedivise (Second Division), and Wille may go back to his prior club to try to get AGOVV promoted this upcoming season to Holland's premier division. Wille has played for AGOVV for the three years prior to him coming to the Dayton Dutch Lions.

Nevertheless, according to Soccernews.nl, that AGOVV return isn't etched in stone and Wille wants to return to the Dutch Lions in their 2011 season as well, which starts next April.

"I 'm in no rush. I have AGOVV alongside other options," says Wille of the Dayton Dutch Lions, who will look for playing time elsewhere while the Dutch Lions are in their offseason.

"Saturday is our last game and then I want a few days to Chicago. It's really great. Next season we will play one level higher, then we go to a serious professional level. I want to come back. I feel really at home."

Winger Bas Ent has stood out for the Dayton Dutch Lions with 2 goals and 6 assists in fourteen games with the PDL club. His pace and quickness, ability to get off good crosses, and overall passing ability has Ent currently being targeted by a few MLS clubs. The 22-year old Ent was first noticed by the Columbus Crew in a friendly played at the University of Dayton between the Dutch Lions and the Crew on June 19th (Ent is pictured above in that game). Ent was one of two Dutch Lion players that caught the eyes of Crew Head Coach Robert Warzycha and Crew Technical Director Brian Bliss on that day. The Crew wanted and still want to take a closer look at Ent after the Dutch Lions season, along with another Dayton Dutch Lion player.

However, by then it may be too late for the Columbus Crew to snag Ent; As Bas Ent also caught the eyes of a scout from the Columbus Crew's main rival, Toronto F.C., when the Dutch Lions went on the road to Canada recently. As the Dutch Lions took on FC London and the Toronto Lynx in PDL action and the TFC scout was at the Lynx game on July 11th. That scout was extremely impressed with Ent and contacted the Dutch Lions soon after. Then over the last week the Dutch Lions front office has been in contact with Toronto F.C. multiple times, working out travel arrangements for Ent.

Ent has an exciting few days ahead of him. He'll leave Sunday for Toronto, train Monday and Tuesday at BMO Field with the likes of Dwayne DeRosario and Julian De Guzman, then will likely be inserted in a friendly against the Bolton Wanderers at BMO Field Wednesday night. Over 22,000 TFC fans will be watching Ent's every move, as the Canadian poster club looks to bolster their squad.

The Toronto F.C. game against Bolton is part of the annual Carlsberg Cup where TFC plays a EPL team yearly for a trophy. The game will be broadcasted on GolTV at 7:30 P.M. and if Bas is expected to get a run out, check back here for a live feed in the coming days. Ent, if given a go in the game, will face off against tough defenders such as Zat Knight (below, left); Ent may also get the chance to battle against fellow Dutch footballer Mustapha Riga (below, right).

Despite the pressure, Bas Ent should have the confidence in himself to succeed. Ent has played in the Dutch top flight with FC Volendam (at the club for eight years total). Ent was also on many of the Dutch National teams at the U-17 and U-20 levels.

The Dayton Dutch Lions will likely build a smaller stadium (around 6,000 seats) and there stadium will be similiar to the stadiums and clubhouses in Holland. At stadiums in Holland, there are areas for parents of academy players to sit around and talk, shopping malls, businesses, and even a few of the stadiums have a night club or something else a bit different. Overall, the stadiums often times take on the appearance of a overall community.

From the Dayton Daily News:

Dayton Dutch Lions owner Mike Mossel said he and the team have been very happy at Bellbrook, but the idea of a home stadium is important for the growth of the club, from the pro teams down to the youth academy.

“That’s the ideal situation,” Mossel said. “That could help us gain moreattention, more spectators and maybe even bring in some international teams toplay. But we also are very happy with our relationship with Bellbrook, and welook forward to playing there next season.”

Those who stand and chant in The Orange Legion for a full 90 this Saturday. Have an opportunity to check out both the Dutch Lions and Crew games for $6 bucks total this Saturday! If there one of the first 30 in The Orange Legion for our 1 p.m. kickoff and they get the 40% percent off ticket discount for Dutch Lions Facebook Fan Appreciation Day!

This Saturday, the Dayton Dutch Lions play their season finale against the Kalamazoo Outrage at 1 p.m. at Bellbrook's Miami Valley South Stadium. The Dutch Lions partner club, the Columbus Crew, also plays that night at 7:30 p.m. against the New York Red Bulls in a battle for Eastern Conference supremacy. In partnership with the Crew, we want residents in Columbus and Dayton to make Saturday a "Day of Soccer in Ohio" by checking out both pivotal games; as the cities are only an hour apart from each other.

As a second promotion for our season finale, the first being a Facebook Fan Appreciation discount (if your not a part of that, type "Dayton Dutch Lions" into facebook and join, then print out the discount coupon). We will be having a second promotion to hopefully pack The Orange Legion with fanatical fans for our season finale; As the first 30 fans that come over and stand and chant in The Orange Legion will also get free tickets to that night's Columbus Crew game.

The Dutch Lions, with one game remaining, have the 33rd best attendance in American soccer out of 104 teams in the top four levels of professional, American soccer. The stats were compiled here and although some lower level games are missing, there is enough games to take an accurate enough measure. The Dutch Lions are also beating 6 USL-1 (Minnesota NSC Stars, Crystal Palace Baltimore, Miami FC Blues) and USL-2 (Pittsburgh Riverhounds, Charlotte Eagles, Real Maryland Monarchs) teams. To view click on image below, for full screen picture:

For Saturday's 1 P.M. showdown against Kalamazoo on July 17th, the Dutch Lions will be having a Facebook Fan Appreciation Night to Celebrate The Season. On our facebook fan page, either later today or tomorrow, there will be a 40% percent off coupon for tickets that can be printed out or presented at the gate. This is in appreciation to all of the comments, likes, and feedback from our fans on the Facebook Fan page. Go Lions!

To get in on the discount, log on to facebook and type in "Dayton Dutch Lions" and join. Then print out the coupon.

F.C. London player Mike Perraria and his F.C. London teammates celebrate their second goal, in the 36th minute, of their 2-1 win over the Dutch Lions on Friday (Picture by Cam Vassallo). The night was "Kick For A Cause" night as F.C. London wears pink jersies and raises money for breast cancer annually on this weekend. For the Dutch Lions, the rest of the week wouldn't get much better; as the Lions would drop their second game as well, despite dominating the Toronto Lynx in the possession and shots department. The weekend would continue to get worse for Dutch Lions fans in Dayton and worldwide as the Netherlands came up short in their third World Cup final as well.

In Londonon Friday against Forest City

The Dayton Dutch Lions traveled north into Canada for a two-game trip against FC London and the Toronto Lynx, only to come up pointless, after a rough start in each of its games.

The first match at TD Waterhouse Stadium was a battle between two of the top-ranked teams in the Great Lakes Division, as Forest City London would create many early opportunities; as the Canadian side showed a lot of heart and effort coming out of the gates at their home field.

The game remained scoreless until the 22nd minute, when F.C. London striker Alan McGreal was taken down in penalty area by a DDL defender. McGreal then stepped up to the spot and converted the penalty to make the score 1-nil. F.C. London would keep the pressure on, as Mike Perraria received a Luke Holmes pass in the 36th minute and then roped the ball into the net with his right foot to make it 2-0 FC London.

The Dutch Lions came up with a few of their own opportunities in the first half, but no opportunity was threatening enough to create a goal. Therefore, at halftime, Dayton Dutch Lions Head Coach Sonny Silooy had to address the lack of legitimate scoring opportunities, as well as the lack of pressure on the ball when F.C. London had possession. Silooy looked to change these issues by changing the shape of the Dutch Lions and this paid dividends as the Dutch Lions would fully control possession and play in the second half.

These changes would eventually lead to a Dutch Lions comeback in the second half, sparked by DDL F.C. midfielder Andrew Giallombardo who made a tricky move and then slotted the ball home in the 58th minute, cutting the deficit in half, 2-1 FC London.

The Dutch Lions attacked the last 30 minutes, pushing the London-based team deep into their own defensive third. This pressure finally led to a chance to equalize in the 89th minute when a hustling Steven McCarthy, just on five minutes prior as a sub, had a perfect chance from 5 yards away to tap in the equalizer. However, McCarthy’s redirection would sail over the crossbar.

The Dutch Lions couldn’t get the equalizer, and would leave for Toronto with a disappointing 2-1 defeat at hand. The result would put the Dutch Lions five points behind F.C. London, with only three games remaining on the PDL season.

In Torontoon Saturday against the Lynx

Just 36 hours after a 2-1 defeat against F.C. London on Friday, the Dayton Dutch Lions had to pick themselves up to gain a vital three points against a weaker Toronto Lynx side on Sunday. On a blistering hot afternoon, the Dutch Lions kicked off a noon affair against Toronto, with their minds still half on Friday night’s disappointing result against Forest City and one eye on the Netherlands World Cup final later in the day. The Dutch Lions would have the majority of the possession and chances in this game, but the Lynx would steal the game slotting in two goals on a total of three opportunities all game. The Dutch Lions couldn’t find any sort of reply to the Lynx’s fortuitous goals, keeping the ball on their feet for too long in Arjen Robben fashion; leading to, after 90 minutes, a 2-nil shock victory for the Toronto Lynx over the Dutch Lions.

The Dutch Lions held 70 percent of the possession throughout the entirety of the game, with an unofficial 15-4 shot advantage in the match. But, the Lynx would find an early score that might of took the wind out of the Lions sails; As in the 20th minute, Lynx midfielder Jean Tshimpaka stole the ball on a defensive lapse by the Dutch Lions and slotted a shot past the diving Oscar Moens to make it 1-nil Toronto.

With a 1-0 deficit at the halftime break, the Dutch Lions would recharge, make some switches tactically, and come out pressing the Lynx with an even greater attack. This led to results in the 55th minute, as Dutch Lions winger George Davis IV’s technically, acute dribbling would frustrate the Lynx defenders; who would chop down Davis right outside the box resulting in a free kick. Julius Wille would step up confidently to take the free kick, hitting the upper 90 bar in the process for a Lynx goalkick. The Dutch Lions could not believe their luck, hands on their heads, but would keep on pressing.

In the 60th minute, this pressure would lead to another opportunity, as Julius Wille served a beautiful corner kick to Hans van de Haar who chested it to the onrushing Kyle Segebart; Segebart placed it near side net for the tying goal, but the referee called a hand ball on van de Haar.

Just four minutes later, in the 64th minute, van de Haar laid the ball back to Johan Wigger. Wigger stepped up and shot a rocket to the left post, but just missed wide by a foot. Then moments later, defender Kyle Segebart, took the offense into his own hands with a second opportunity to level the game; as Segebart headed a Wille corner just inches wide of the crossbar. DDL continued searching for their elusive first goal on the day.

In the 70th minute, two non-calls by the center official continued to frustrate the Dutch Lions. As Julius Wille had a clear opportunity to put a full-volley on target from 14 yards away. But, as Wille turned to kick he was taken down in the box, losing his chance to put his rocket strike onto the Toronto net as play continued.

The Dutch Lions wouldn’t bother keeping their minds on the referee’s decision for too long, as substitutes Jeff Popella and Steven McCaarthy would both come in and create solid opportunities. Popella would cut into the middle of the field and rip a momentous volley that sailed just high. McCarthy with consistent pressure up top in the final 15 minutes would create three opportunities as well.

However, as it goes in soccer, when a team does not convert their chances, that team opens themselves up for a surprise goal against the run of play. This was the story on the Dutch Lions day, as the Lynx would find their security goal in the 82nd minute by Tshimpaka on the counterattack. Adding salt to the wound, moments later, DDL’s Giallombardo would receive a very questionable red card on a non-contact fall to the pitch.

As the whistle blew, there would be no Dutch Lion delight on the day for DDL F.C.; As the Dutch Lions left Canada with zero points, when the squad needed to pick up a full six points on the road trip to secure the top spot in the division. Instead, now the Dutch Lions (23 points) find themselves, with two games left, five points back of F.C. London (28 points) and three points back of the Michigan Bucks (26 points). To make matters worse, the other Dutch Lions (the Netherlands national team) would have their hopes crushed as well three hours later; as the Dayton Dutch Lions players watched from their hotel in Toronto.

The Dutch Lions two remaining games on the season are against Kalamazoo (at home) and Chicago (away). The Lions must win these two games and look for a little help to receive a playoff bid. DDL will play an exhibition match this Tuesday at 7pm in Piqua, Ohio before hosting the Kalamazoo Outrage at its home season finale on July 17th at 1 p.m.

Ent is one of two players the Crew will bring in for a closer look after the Dutch Lions season.

According to the Columbus Dispatch's Bob Hunter, the Columbus Crew, MLS's top side, are going to bring in two Dayton Dutch Lions players for a closer look:

The Crew has an informal relationship with the Dayton Dutch Lions that is starting to pay dividends.

The Crew played an exhibition with the semipro team from the fourth-tier Premier Development League last month, and the Crew identified two players it wants to bring in for a closer look.

The Dutch Lions, owned by a group from the Netherlands, have plans to form a player development academy.

One of these players is Bas Ent, who has been on great form for the Dutch Lions with 6 assists and 2 goals in 12 games. Ent had an assist and a goal in the Dutch Lions 2-1 victory over the Michigan Bucks this weekend.

**Toronto FC will also be taking a sniff around the Dutch Lions roster. As TFC's top scout will be at the Dayton Dutch Lions game this Sunday in Toronto against the Toronto Lynx.

Dayton Dutch Lions highlight video with goals, celebrations, interactions in autograph alley, and more. This highlight reel was shown at the Dutch Lions recent, press conference announcing their promotion to USL's Pro Championship Division (formerly USL-2), as well as their addition of a women's professional team in the USL's W-League. For more information check out, http://www.dutchlionsfc.com, and check us out on facebook by typing in Dayton Dutch Lions. Video produced by Erratic TV, check them out at http://www.erratictv.com or by typing in Erratic TV on facebook.

Dayton Dutch Lions Highlights [Filmed & Produced By Erratic TV]

Interested in even more highlights check out the following video as well:

More mixtapes, highlights, and other videos will be up on Erratic TV as well as here at the Orange Legionnaire straight from the Dutch Lions media department, and elsewhere in the coming weeks.

Tomorrow, on July 8th, 2010, the Dutch Lions will make some exciting announcements in a press conference. Local media has been invited to the press conference and the entire press conference will be live on USL Live at 11:30 a.m! The USL Live link can be found here. The actual link or an embedded player will possibly be on the Dutch Lions main website and this blog.

Dayton Dutch Lion players and fans watch on at The Dublin Pub in Dayton, Ohio; as the Netherlands took on Uruguay in the World Cup Semifinals. The Netherlands won 3-2 and now await either Germany or Spain in the final. Hup Holland!